Tiny Monster Hiding on an Autumn Leaf

Was it a micro moth? a gall? an egg?

As Halloween approaches, I always find myself noticing the stranger side of nature. Autumn may signal the end of the insect season, but if you look closely enough, there are still plenty of surprises waiting among the fading leaves.

This is the story of one such surprise, from many many years ago.

The days are drawing shorter and the nights colder, the season for most insects has already passed and the number of species of hoverflies spotted is reducing quickly in number. There are still a few on the flowering Ivy and Michaelmas daisies, so on a sunny day both can be full of pollinators.

At this time of year, I spend less time watching flowers and more time inspecting leaves. Autumn can reveal all sorts of hidden treasures, from strange plant galls to the winding tunnels of leaf miners hidden inside a leaf.

So, it was a mild autumn afternoon, I spotted what looked like nothing more than a tiny speck of dirt, on a leaf. It was so small I almost ignored it. My first thoughts were it was going to be a micro moth, a gall, or an egg - it turned out to be none of them.

The Death's Head Hoverfly:

The Tenuous Folklore and Classification of Batman Hoverfly. 

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), covering its life cycle, geographical range and how to identify it in the field. If you haven’t read it, you can find it here.

It’s a hoverfly with a superhero emblem, buoyant larvae that dive like miniature whales, and a strong association with cemeteries.

The insect we know today as the Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) is already one of Britain’s most distinctive hoverflies. Yet behind its comic-book nickname lies a far older and darker story.

Long before Batman existed, naturalists across Europe knew this species by another name: the Death’s Head Hoverfly.

Celebration of Achievements

This past year...

I often think that, in today’s fast-paced world, we move from one project to the next without pausing and more importantly without celebrating our achievements.

This post is very much about me taking the time to pause, stop, reflect and celebrate what I have achieved in the past year.

Yes, it has been a year since I was made redundant from my role as a Business Intelligence manager, with my work and my division being offshored. It is something I fear may happen to many more people as companies increasingly adopt A.I and pursue greater profitability. However, this is not something I want to dwell on. The past is the past, and I have always tried to maintain a forward-looking attitude. So, let us move on….

Credit: C.Artindale

Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Batman (Myathropa florea)

Wing Length 7-12mm.

Body Length 10-14 mm

Flight. Apr-Nov

Discover the hoverfly with a superhero emblem, buoyant larvae that dive like miniature whales, and a surprisingly strong association with cemeteries.

This is a very distinctive hoverfly which carries around a super-hero insignia proudly on its thorax. It’s a common hoverfly spotted from the start of spring to the end of autumn. Often a visitor to flower gardens for nectar and pollen but more commonly found on woodland sunlit glades/rides hovering at head height or alongside watercourses, woodland edges and it’s, eerily, often spotted in cemeteries.

Acrostic Hoverfly Postcard - Myathropa

Myathropa

Welcome to acrostic postcards about hoverflies.

Hopefully you have seen some of my previous postcards, if you haven’t then after reading this  click on the links listed at the bottom of this article - there are 8 more acrostics to find. 

The aim of these postcards is to celebrate hoverflies one genus at a time.

The genus name is split such that each letter forms a sentence, highlighting unique features of these incredible syrphids within each group, posted alongside artwork and habitat preferences.

All the photographs and artwork featured are my own, making this a truly personal project.

For more Acrostic postcards click on the links below:

Volume 1 - Episyrphus, Scaeva, Syrhpus, Helophilus & Volucella

Volume 2 - Eristalis(Droneflies), Noascia(Fen-flies) & Meliscaeva

I also write on Substack, where you'll find additional articles, observations, and stories inspired by hoverflies and the natural world.

👉 Take a look here: Easily Distracted by Hoverflies | Mark | Substack

Substack is home to a wonderful community of writers covering nature, conservation, environmental issues, history, art, culture, and much much more making it a great place to discover fresh perspectives and fascinating reads beyond my own work.

One of the biggest advantages of the platform is how easy it is to stay connected. By subscribing, you'll receive my latest articles directly into your inbox as soon as they're published, so you'll never miss a post.

I hope you'll join me there and become part of the conversation.